India's history dates back as one of the world's first
cradles of civilization. The land was fertile and by 2000 BC settlements were fairly
well established and organized. In about 1500 BC Hinduism was formalized and the
caste system was introduced.

In the period from about 500-300 BC the various ethnic groups in modern-day
India held off the Persians and later the Greeks led by Alexander the Great,
who turned back before invading the land. During this time Hinduism became better
established and more widely followed as both Buddhism and Jainism were introduced,
both of which are philosophies that fight the Hindu's caste system.

After this time, trade expanded with China, Central Asia, and the west as the Silk
Road peaked and the people in modern-day northern India took
a vital role. The first true union among numerous ethnicities in India began in
the 300s (in the north), let by the Guptas, an empire which collapsed in the 500s
after being defeated by the Huns. This led to more small rulers in the country's
geographic borders and led to the rise of Hinduism as the dominant religion/philosophy
in India.

In the 1000 and 1100s there were invasions on the north from the Middle East, which
converted a significant minority of the people to Islam, but these invaders lost
most control as they tried to invade southern India while maintaining their growing
empire.

Meanwhile the south, which had been predominantly Hindu for centuries, remained
primarily divided into small areas ruled by various leaders, but thrived through
Indian Ocean trade. The south, for much of this time had remained out of the reach
of invaders, including the Muslims, until the 1300s when it was invaded by a number
of groups and opened the area up to the growth of larger kingdoms.

In the 1500s the Muslim Mughals took power in India, their
empire covering nearly the entire Indian subcontinent. Although best known to many
people as the builders of the Taj Mahal, the Mughals proved to be a military, political,
and cultural power, expanding the people's general well-being and even creating
peace between the Muslims and Hindus, instead of trying to suppress the Hindus.
This empire declined beginning in about 1700 and only 40 years later the Persians
successfully invaded.

In about 1500 the Portuguese landed in India (Goa) and secured
control over Indian Ocean trade with posts throughout the Middle East and
Africa. The British arrived enforce in about
1600, first setting up trading posts with local leaders ruling over the people,
then creating an official colony in 1858. The British vastly improved India's
unity by building better infrastructure and communication networks, including the
teaching of English as the language of communication.

In about 1900 Indian independence movements began, but disagreements between the
Hindus and Muslims between how to govern a joint state delayed any uniform organization
so these talks moved slowly, even after Mohandas Gandhi took the lead in the peaceful
independence movement. In 1947 the country gained independence, but was divided
into Muslim Pakistan (at the time East and West Pakistan, later the east became
Pakistan) and Hindu India. This division caused a huge amount
of violence and in some places ethnic cleansing took place in the streets.

Since independence, India has had poor relations with Pakistan
and much internal instability. Wars have taken place with both Pakistan and China
since independence over border issues, primarily in Kashmir. Domestically, the country
has been overcome with religious fights and bombings between the Muslims, Hindus,
Sikhs, and Jains among others.